in the kitchen with: deena prichep’s figs with dolcelatte, honey and rosemary

Just under the wire, right before figs disappear altogether, we thought we’d bring you one recipe at the end of the season. Figs with gorgonzola is one of the most common combinations I’ve seen lately. This week’s delightful recipe for Figs with Dolcelatte, Honey and Rosemary by journalist Deena Prichep adds a bit of honey and some rosemary for depth. If you’re like me, someone who likes neither figs nor gorgonzola, you might be tempted to skip this. However, I was intrigued by the additional ingredients. I tried it, and like Mikey, I liked it! (The 1970s Life cereal commercial, for those who don’t remember.) So I would like to recommend this dish, which is simple but quite sophisticated, to anyone who might have some figs on hand to serve before figs are no more this year. — Kristina

About Deena: Deena Prichep is a freelance print and radio journalist (and food blogger) based in Portland, Oregon. Her stories on topics ranging from urban agriculture to gefilte fish have appeared on The Splendid Table, NPR’s Morning Edition, NPR’s All Things Considered, The Northwest News Network, The Oregonian, Mix, and Portland Monthly.

The full recipe continues after the jump . . .

Figs with Dolcelatte, Honey and Rosemary

Note: Dolcelatte, also called gorgonzola dolce, is a creamier, milder version of the favorite blue cheese. You can substitute another favorite blue for more bite, or a scoop of fresh ricotta or soft goat cheese if you want it even milder.

1. Preheat your oven to 400. Gently combine the figs, honey and rosemary in an oven-proof dish and roast, stirring once or twice, until the figs are softened and darkened, about 20 minutes. (I tend to go a bit longer than most, as I’m a sucker for caramelization — just make sure your honey doesn’t scorch.) Remove from the oven, and let cool slightly.

2. Serve the still-warm figs with a chunk of the dolcelatte, making sure to scrape up the thickened, flavored honey along with them. A handful of biscotti make a lovely accompaniment (as does a glass of wine or cup of coffee).

I’ve tried to like fresh figs for quite some time, since they spill out onto the sidewalks all over Portland. But I never really knew what to do with them, and found the fresh taste a bit too cloying. Roasting (my favorite autumnal treatment for pretty much everything) intensifies the figs’ flavor and softens their thick skins. In this preparation, the piney notes of the rosemary-infused honey and fusty richness of the gorgonzola dolce latte provide a great counterpoint to the syrupy-sweet figs — this one’s all about the balance.

My, oh my. Cloying figs? Love it… have to say that this is one recipe I’m going to try to pull off this Saturday afternoon… (figs are never “in season” in Toronto – but I know where to find some!). I’m thinking ricotta – love all cheese (and smellier/sharper the better!) but ricotta will be like having fig cheesecake. YES! Grazie!

I grew up eating “doce de figo”, a family recipe which boils down the green figs in water, sugar and spices and it is served with farmers cheese. Now I will pass this recipe to my family, I know they will love it.

What gorgeous photos too. Those chartreuse figs are seriously beautiful.

There aren’t many fig trees around these parts (Vancouver, BC-area) that can handle the drizzly long cold winters, at least that is my guess. They seem to be few & far between. But I’ve always wanted a fig tree in my backyard, and this recipe just cemented my desire!

My wife loves figs, but does not like any of the Blue cheeses. I have a great recipe for figs but it includes Gorgonzola Dolce. What other cheese, not a Blue, could I substitute that would give simular flavour.

Design*Sponge reserves the right to restrict comments that do not contribute constructively to the conversation at hand, contain profanity, personal attacks, hate speech or seek to promote a personal or unrelated business. Our goal is to create a safe space where everyone (commenters, subjects of posts and moderators) feels comfortable to speak. Please treat others the way you would like to be treated and be willing to take responsibility for the impact your words may have on others. Disagreement, differences of opinion and heated discussion are welcome, but comments that do not seek to have a mature and constructive dialogue will not be published. We moderate all comments with great care and do not delete any lightly. Please note that our team (writers, moderators and guests) deserve the same right to speak and respond as you do, and your comments may be responded to or disagreed with. These guidelines help us maintain a safe space and work toward our goal of connecting with and learning from each other.